Apparatus for making steel castings



Feb. 19, 1952 w. M. DUNCAN 2,586,212

APPARATUS FOR MAKING STEEL CASTINGS Filed Dec. 15, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. l.

INVENTOR:

WILLIAM M. DUNEAN BY/ j"- ATTORNEYS- Feb. 19, 1952 w, DUNCAN 2,586,212

APPARATUS FOR MAKING STEEL CASTINGS Filed Dec. 15, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 36 INVENTORZ WILLIAM M. DUNZAN BYI J ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 19, 1952 w. M. DUNCAN 2,585,212

APPARATUS FOR MAKING STEEL CASTINGS Filed Dec. 15, 1947 4 Shee'ts-Sheet 5 I N I 111 $5 I I l I Q 3* g III \d K J I 0 l E ILflMJL L I x I a I I T\J I I I l N ll i I I \L Wk W "In"; I L l i I .l

I 1 I INVENTOR'.

w I 8 WILLIAM M. DUNCAN ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 19, 1952 w, DUNCAN 2,586,212

APPARATUS FOR MAKING STEEL CASTINGS Filed Dec. 15, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 2 3 FIG. 7. /0 A /5 2 2, M I i ,2:

II l l 3/ F 1 \\o 33 f 4 5 14 {a 27 6 36 34 I \55 0 Z INVENTORZ .4 WILLIAM M. DUNCAN //I l /\l l/ 37 58 \f/ZZ 0 9 BY6 W2du a?! 39 M ,7 ATTORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 19, 1952 [TED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims. '1

This invention pertains to a process and apparatus for casting steel or other ferrous metal in permanent molds which may be cooled to a desired temperature so as to chill the metal to any desired degree.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide an improved process for casting wherein a metal mold may be adjusted to any desired initial temperature before pouring.

Another object is to provide a chill mold adaptedfor carrying out such a process.

Another object is to provide a casting machine in which such a chill mold may be mounted and which may be operated to carry out the process of this invention in rapid cycles.

Another object is to provide such a machine with means for handlin a core for the casting, so as to place it accurately, in proper relation to the mold.

Further objects will appear from the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which will be set forth an illustrative embodiment of this invention. It is to be understood, however, that this invention is susceptible of various embodiments, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the principles or spirit of the invention;

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure '1 is a front elevation of a .casting machine embodying this invention, and adapted for carry ngout he pr ce s her of;

Figure .2 is a similar view with the upper and lower pl ns moved pr paratory to dischar n the casting, .but with the chills omitted; V

Figure .3 is a partial sid elevation as seen from the left side of Figure .l, but with the core-setter omitted;

Figure 4 is a similar view showing the upper platen raised and .the core-setter in position to place the core;

Figure is an enlarged sect onal iew of the .ehillmold showing bo h cope and drag;

Figure 6 s a fac view of ne o the chills;

.Eigure 7 .is a parti l right-hand sid e evation of Figure .l Showing the power devices ,for operating the machine; and

Figure 8 is a sectional detail of one of the spring-pressure links.

In accordance with this invention, generally stated, aprocess-is provided in which a chill mold is cooled, or tempered, to bring it to a specific initial temperature inaccordance with the degree of chill to be applied to the casting. "The molten metal is poured into the tempered mold to form the casting. A more .or less uniform cycle of operations may be established so that a uniform cooling rate may .re-temper the mold after each casting. The casting machine forming-part of this invention is organized to carry out such a.

cycle including, (chilling the mold, setting the .eore. closing the mold, opening the mold, and 'dischargin the testin Referring now to the drawings, 1 designates a structural support of any suitable type to carry the various parts of the machine in their proper relations. A pair of forward-extending members "2 of the support I carries bearings 3 adapted to receive trunnion-shafts. '4 and '55 supporting a lower platen 6. 'The platen 5 has -a flap top adapted to receive the drag 1 of the mold, and may be provided with any suitable means such as the slots 9, toreceive mounting bolts or other fasteners to secure the drag l thereto.

The cope 8 of the mold is similarly secured to an upper platen H). The platen It) has fixed thereto at each side thereof an upward-extending rack bar ll. Each of the rack bars ll passes through a channel or housing l2 on the end of .a supporting arm I3. The arms l3 are loose on a supporting cross shaft l4, J'Qurnaled in bearings J5 on the support I. One or both of these arms may be provided with a rearward extension t6 which maybe hung a counterweight ,I l.

Pivoted at 18 on each of the arms I3 is a gear sector l9 meshing with the rack II, and having an arm .20 connected to a special link indicated generally at 2]. The other end of each link 21 is connected to a lever '22 fixed on the shaft i4, adjacent the arm I3. Each lever 22 has a downward extension 23 provided with a laterally-extending abutment 24 arranged for engagement with a complementary abutment 25 on the arm 13 after the lever .22 has turned through a predetermined angle.

It will .be .seen that these connections are such that when the platen .ll) isin the full-line posi- Lion of Figure ,3, rotation of the shaft M in the counterclockwise direction as seen in this figure, will cause the lever 22, acting through the link 21, to rotate the gear sector :19 on its pivot l8. This movement of .the gear sector raises the rack bar 1 I, and with it the platen l0, thereby raising the con 8 to separate it from t d ag a cl ar the castin as shown in do ted l nes n Figures .By the tim the gear sector has ot te through an an l suf ic ent to thu ai e the pl en t0, the lever ,22 has moved far enough to bring the abutment .24 against the abutment 25. As

the ,lever '22 moves further under rotation of the shaft l4, it thus picks up the arms [3, swinging the latter upwardon the shaft 14 to the position shown in Figure 4. This clears the space above the lower platen 6.

The power devices for performing these movements are shown :in Figure "7. In the embodiment illustrated, pneumatic cylinders are shown, but other devices such as hydraulic cylinders or electric motors with suitable connections may be used. Rotation of the shaft i4 is accomplished by means of a cylinder 26 having a piston (not shown) with suitable control connections to cause it to :move, upward for one direction of rotation, and downward .for the opposite direction. The piston is-.co,m 1ected :to two piston rods 21 and :28,

for that purpose.

carrying at their respective ends sheaves 29 and 39. The shaft M has fixed thereto a double sheave 3|. A cable 32 passes around the sheaves 29 and 38, and has its ends anchored in different grooves of the sheave 3|. This cable is also anchored at its intermediate portion to the cylinder 26 at 33. By this arrangement, when the piston moves in one direction, the shaft l4 will be rotated clockwise; and when it moves in the opposite direction, the shaft will rotate counterclockwise.

A similar arrangement is provided for moving the lower platen 6. A power cylinder 34 has a piston (not shown) connected to two piston rods 35 and 36, carrying at their ends sheaves 31 and 38. A cable 39, anchored to the cylinder at 49, passes around the sheaves 31 and 38, and has its ends anchored in different grooves of a double sheave 4|, fixed on the trunnion shaft 5. Thus the shaft 5 may be turned in either direction by proper control of the power cylinder 34.

Referring to Figures 5 and 6, the cope Band the drag 1 each provide a chill adapted to be pivoted at on the boom. Thus by operating cooled by a cooling fluid such as steam or Water,

to bring it to the required initial temperature. Such a chill may be built up of a cast form providing an inner wall 42, formed to the shape of the casting, an outer wall 43, a core seat 44, vents 45, and such other features as the casting to be made may require, together with a peripheral wall 46, of boiler iron or the like, welded to the cast form. The cooling fluid may be introduced into the interior of the chill by means of inlet pipes 41. Where there is a plurality of such pipes, they may be connected by a header 48, passing around the chill and. connected by a fitting 49 to a suitable source of supply. The ends of the inlet pipes 41 may be provided with spray heads 5|! to atomize the incoming fluid, though it has been found that where water is used as the cooling fluid the spray heads may often be dispensed with. One or more outlet pipes 5|, connected to a header 52, may be provided to carry away the used fluid to a suitable drain connection 53. The pipes 41 and 5| may be welded to the wall 46 and all such joints, and,

of course, the entire chill structure must be made absolutely tight against leakage of the cooling fluid, so as to prevent any possibility of the fluid coming in contact with the molten steel.

In order to be able to place a core accurately in its proper relation to the mold, a core setter, shown in Figures 1, 2, and 4, is provided. For this purpose an upright column 54 is mounted by a bracket 55 on the supporting structure I. A crane, comprising a horizontal boom 56 and an angle-brace 51, is arranged to swing on the column 54 as an axis, a handle 58 being provided The end of the boom 56 has mounted thereon a hoist 59, shown as a pneumatic cylinder, though any other type of hoist may be used. The hoist59 is arranged to'raise and lower a carrying head 60, adapted to carry the core 6|. In the embodiment shown, the head 6|] has extending downward therethrough a plurality, (usually three) of hanger rods 62 formed with T-shaped lower ends 63 adapted to support the core 6| when turned crosswise of the slot in the core through which they pass. Each rod 62 has flxed thereto a sprocket 64 resting on the head 69, and engaging a chain 65 passing around all such sprockets. One of the rods 62 may extend upward to a guide bracket 66 on the boom 56, and have fixed thereto a lever 61 connected by a link 68;;with an" operating lever 69 the lever 69 the sprockets may be rotated to turn the rods 62 to engage or disengage the T-heads 63.

In the operation of the embodiment illustrated, the cope is mounted on the upper platen, and the drag on the lower platen, in proper positions for registry when the mold is closed. Suitable cooling-fluid supply and drain connections (not shown) are made to the chills. With the upper platen raised in theposition shown in Figure 4, and the core setter in the position of Figure 2, a core is hung on the rods 62. In some cases the core is supported on a metal plate having slots arranged for cooperation with the T-heads 63 of the hanger rods. The crane is then swung over to the position of Figure 1, which places the core over its position in the mold. The hoist 59 is operated to lower the core, so that it may be accurately positioned in the mold; after which the lever 69 may be manipulated to release the core, after which the crane is moved out of the way.

The cylinder 26 may now be operated to lower the cope into molding position. It will be noted (see Figure 4) that the extension I6 is at a slight angle with the rest of the arm |3. This places the counterweight l1 slightly off dead center with respect to the shaft l4, so that the counterweight will start the lowering movement of the arm |3 at once when released from the pressure of the lever 22 at the abutment 25. The platen It) now swings down to horizontal position with the movement of the lever 22. The arms |3 are arrested in their horizontal positions by stops 1| on the support I. As the'levers 22 move further, the links 2| operate the gear sectors |9 to lower the platen l6 vertically to close the mold. At this point the links 22 apply spring pressure to force the cope down upon the drag. Each of said links comprises a member 12 which carries a cylindrical housing 13 enclosing a pressure spring 14, and a member 15 having a rod 16 passing loosely through a head 11 of said housing. The rod 16 has a collar 18 bearing on the spring 14. Thus, when the link is under tension, the collar 18 engages the head 11 to support the tension, and. when under compression the collar 18 bears on the spring 14 to apply a yielding thrust. This arrangement provides some excess movement for the lever 22, to insure that the mold is tightly closed. The casting metal may then be poured via a suitable pouring cup (not shown), which may be mounted in an opening 19 in the platen l0.

When the casting has set, the mold may be opened by reversing the operation of the cylinder 26. This operates to first lift the cope vertically to separate it from the casting, and then swing it to the rear to clear the space above the lower platen. The cylinder 34 is now operated to rotate the lower platen through the position shown in Figure 2 to an inverted position, so as to cause the casting to drop out of the drag. When the casting has been discharged, the cylinder 34 may be operated in reverse direction, thereby restor- -ing the lower platen to-horizontal position where it is arrested by stops on the support I, ready for the start of a new cycle of operations.

The supply of cooling fluid to the chills is usually continuous, but may be intermittent, according to the tempering required. The chills may be cooled to any desired temperature, according to the chilling effect required for the casting. Where such temperature is relatively high, steam may. beusedforcooling. By using superheated steam or desuperheated steam, practically any desired temperature may be obtained. At lower temperatures, where water, or steam containing water, is used, the spray heads 50 serve to atomize the water, thereby providing a uniform application of the cooling medium. It has been found, however, that for some types of castings, ordinary tap water can be used even without the spray heads.

It will be seen, therefore, that this invention provides a process and apparatus for making ferrous metal castings of good quality at a high production rate. The casting operations may be carried out in a succession of timed cycles, the timing being adjusted to suit the casting. The rate of cooling the chills may be adjusted so that, in the time allowed by the cycle, any desired temperature may be obtained; and the same temperature maintained with little variation throughout a succession of such cycles.

Havingthus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In a machine for making massive ferrous castings, the combination of a support, a dragsupporting platen mounted at two points for rotation on said support, an arm pivotally mounted on said support, a gear sector journaled on the free end of said arm, a rack meshing with said gear sector, means for guiding said rack for movement substantially perpendicular to said arm, a cope-carrying platen secured to said rack, means for rotating said gear sector through a definite angle and means correlated with the gear-sector-rotating means for rotating the arm about its pivot to swing the cope-carrying platen clear of the orbit of the drag-supporting platen when that platen is rotated.

2. In a machine for making massive ferrous castings, the combination of a support, a dragsupporting platen mounted at two points for rotation on said support, an arm pivotally mounted on said support, a gear sector journaled on the free end of said arm, a rack meshing with said gear sector for translatory movement substantially perpendicular to said arm, a cope-supporting platen carried by said rack, means for rotating the gear sector, said means including a yielding pressure connection, and means correlated with the gear-sector-rotating means for rotating the arm about its pivot to swing the copecarrying platen clear of the orbit of the dragsupporting platen when that platen is rotated.

3. In a machine for making ferrous castings. the combination of a support, a lower platen pivoted for rotation around a horizontal axis on said support, an arm pivoted for rotation about a horizontal axis on said support, the axis of said arm being offset both vertically and horizontally from the axis of the lower platen, a gear sector journaled on the free end of said arm, a rack meshing with said gear sector, said rack being positioned for translational movement perpendicular to the axis of the lower platen, an upper platen carried by said rack, a lever pivoted on said support and having an abutment engageable with said arm, a link connecting said lever with said gear sector, and power mechanism connected to said lever to rotate said lever first to rock said link to rotate said gear sector to lift said upper platen and thereafter to engage said arm to swing said arm and said upper platen clear of the orbit of said lower platen.

4. In a casting machine having a support, a platen mounted on said support for pivotal movement, and a second platen mounted on said support for movement between a position where it is in cooperative relation with the first-mentioned platen and a position where it is clear of the orbit of said first-mentioned platen; mechanism for moving said second platen between said positions comprising an arm mounted on said support for rotation about an axis substantially displaced from the axis of said first-mentioned platen, said second platen being mounted upon said arm for translatory movement relative thereto, and means for moving the second platen successively in translation relative to the arm and in rotation about the axis of said arm when said second platen is moved out of cooperative relation with the first-mentioned platen and for moving said second platen successively in rotation about the axis of said arm and in translation relative to the arm when said second platen is moved into cooperative relation with the firstmentioned platen, said means being operative to move the second platen in translation relative to the arm only when the direction of such translatory movement is substantially vertical.

5. The mechanism of claim 4 wherein the means comprises a drive having a cycle of movement in one portion of which said second platen is moved relative to said arm and in another portion of which said arm is rotated about its axis.

6. In a casting machine having a support, a platen mounted on said support for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis, and a second platen mounted on said support for movement between a position where it is in cooperative relation with the first-mentioned platen and a position where it is clear of the orbit of said first-mentioned platen, mechanism for moving said second platen between said positions comprising an arm mounted on said support for rotation about an axis substantially displaced from the axis of said first-mentioned platen, said second platen being mounted upon said arm for translatory movement relative thereto, and means for moving said second platen successively in rotation about the axis of said arm and in translation relative to the arm when said second platen is moved into cooperative relation with the first-mentioned platen, said means being operative to move the second platen relative to the arm only when the direction of such movement is substantially vertical.

WILLIAM MILLEN DUNCAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Date Number Name 375,211 Smith et al. Dec. 20, 1887 428,590 Caddy May 27, 1890 1,041,051 Engel Oct. 15, 1912 1,066,604 Griffith July 8, 1913 1,215,784 Enley Feb. 13, 1917 1,325,723 Karl et a1 Dec. 23, 1919 1,417,959 Walther May 30, 1922 1,550,719 Udale Aug. 25, 1925 1,715,421 Morehead June 4, 1929 1,725,840 Wood Aug. 27, 1929 1,753,380 Leary Apr. 8, 1930 1,865,244 Frantz June 28, 1932 1,895,245 Geisler Jan. 24, 1933 2,172,798 Littman Sept. 12, 1939 2,186,938 McWane Jan. 16, 1940 2,216,059 Vontobel et al. Sept. 24, 1940 2,483,808 Carpenter Oct. 4, 1949 

